Please join us for the SoCal IP Institute meeting, Monday, November 8 at Noon. This activity is approved for 1 hour of MCLE Ethics credit. If you will be joining us, please RSVP to  Amanda Jones by 9 am Monday.

We will be discussing the following:

Proposed CA Ethical Rules (Sept. 22, 2010)(attached)  After 9 years of debate, the State Bar of California has adopted proposed ethical rules which require Supreme Court approval before taking effect.  We will discuss the proposed revisions to the rules and, in particular, the areas where the proposed rules continue to differ from the Model Rules: Reporting Attorney Misconduct, Client Confidences, Unconscionable Fees, Attorney Competence and Moral Turpitude.

Ahanchian v. Xenon Pictures, No. 08-56667 (9th Cir. Nov. 3, 2010) (case attached)  On appeal of an order denying an extension of time to file an opposition to a motion for summary judgment and denial of a motion to accept the late-filed opposition, the 9th Circuit reversed where the District Court failed to show bad faith or prejudice to the adverse party in denying the extension request and applied the incorrect legal standard in deciding the request to accept the late-filed opposition.  The 9th Circuit also criticized opposing counsel’s refusal to grant an extension request and reminded the opposing counsel of Attorney Guidelines of Civility & Prof. § 6.